Prince Harry and Meghan Markle may have so far avoided a frosty public appearance with Prince William and Kate Middleton – but today the couple made it clear there are members of the royal family with whom they remain friendly with.
The 37-year-old Duke, wearing a black suit adorned with military medals and a silver tie, and Duchess of Sussex left their children Archie, three, and Lilibet, nearly one, behind to attend the National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral today.
They took seats alongside his cousins Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice and their respective husbands, Jack Brooksbank, 36, and Edo Mapelli Mozzi, 38 – and Harry couldn’t resist larking around in the pews of St Paul’s, sharing a joke with his cousin’s husband Jack Brooksbank.
Prince Harry and banker Brooksbank were spotted giggling ahead of the historic service, with Princess Eugenie, dressed in a striking orange dress, appearing to also stifle a laugh.
Earlier this year, Princess Eugenie became the first member of the Royal Family to make a public visit to Prince Harry in California, two years after he quit as a senior royal, and it’s thought the two couples share a close bond.
Later, after leaving the service, Harry and Meghan, wearing a cream coat dress with a matching hat and shoes, was seen sharing a laugh with his cousin Zara Tindall.
Prince Harry, 37, and Meghan Markle, 40, put on a very friendly display with the Duke’s cousins as they attended the service at St Paul’s Cathedral today
Meanwhile the Duke took his seat next to Princess Eugenie’s husband Jack Brooksbank, 36, at St Paul’s Cathedral for the National Service of Thanksgiving – and the pair appeared to be getting on famously, with Princess Eugenie looking like she was stifling a giggle ahead of the commemorative service.
Still a joker! Prince Harry, wearing a black suit adorned with military medals and a silver tie, offered an open-mouthed grin to a familiar face in the next pew, as Princess Eugenie, also smiling, also offered a cheery hello to the guest
And after leaving the service, the royal couple put on a friendly display with both Zara Tindall and her brother Peter Philips (left).
Prince Harry and Meghan are also close to Zara, Princess Anne’s daughter, and her husband Mike – although they are not believed to have visited the couple in their new home in LA. The Duke is even godfather to the couple’s youngest daughter, Lena.
Harry, along with his brother William, were were raised in Gloucestershire, just a few miles from where Zara and her brother Peter Phillips grew up.
The four royal cousins were often spotted chatting and joking at royal events, with William previously revealing how it was ‘hard to keep a straight face’ when sitting opposite his cousins in church.
The bond between cousins is particularly close for members of the Royal Family, who might struggle to let outsiders into their inner circle.
Such is the closeness between the cousins that they are all part of a WhatsApp group where they exchange messages on upcoming events and family news.
Harry and Meghan had to squeeze past his cousins Beatrice and Eugenie, who were already seated, to get to their places in the Cathedral.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex arriving for the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral this morning. Meghan, 40, was the picture of poise in a cream coat dress and matching hat and shoes as she joined senior royals in her first public engagement with the family in two years
Harry and Meghan had to squeeze past his cousins Beatrice and Eugenie, who were already seated, to get to their places
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (left, circled) sit across the aisle from the Sussexes (right, circled) at St Paul’s today
Later, the Prince was spotted, with his mouth open, appearing to be enjoying a joke with another royal seated across the aisle. Beatrice, sitting a few seats down, was also grinning in the same direction.
Meanwhile, the Duchess of Sussex, in a cream coat dress and matching hat and shoes, chatted to Lady Sarah Chatto, the Queen’s niece, ahead of the historic ceremony.
The Duchess of Sussex put on a typically glamorous display as she arrived with Prince Harry. Meghan, 40, was the picture of poise in a cream coat dress and matching hat and shoes as she joined senior royals in her first public engagement with the family in two years.
The couple were last seen with The Firm at the frosty Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey in March 2020, shortly before they officially stepped down as senior royals.
But it was a far more relaxed affair on Friday morning, with the couple smiling broadly as they arrived at the London cathedral ahead of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
Prince Harry looks up at St Paul’s Cathedral in London this morning as he celebrates his grandmother’s Platinum Jubilee
Back in the fold? The Duke and Duchess of Sussex looked to be enjoying the occasion as they chatted to fellow royals seated around them (Pictured from right: Lady Sarah Chatto, the Sussexes, Jack Brooksbank, Princess Eugenie, bottom row from left, the Duke of Kent, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, Prince Edward and Sophie Wessex’s son James, Viscount Severn)
As the service began, Prince Harry looked more contemplative; his wife Meghan had been chatting to Lady Sarah Chatto, the Queen’s niece, ahead of the historic ceremony
The couple were last seen with The Firm at the frosty Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey in March 2020, shortly before they officially stepped down as senior royals
Meghan and Harry were greeted on the steps of St Paul’s by the Lord Mayor of London and held hands as they took their seats beside Princess Eugenie, Princess Beatrice, and their husbands.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrived in a separate car a short time later, avoiding any potentially tense interaction between the foursome.
Although the Queen is absent at today’s service after experiencing ‘discomfort’ following yesterday’s Trooping the Colour, senior royals, the Lord Mayor of London, politicians – including the Prime Minister and wife Carrie – celebrities and key community figures gathered for the historic service to honour the Queen’s reign.
Prince Charles is officially representing the Queen at the service after she was forced to pull out last night, and there will also be no appearance from Prince Andrew after he tested positive for coronavirus.
Political guests arrived ahead of the royals, including former prime minister Sir Tony Blair and his wife Cherie, followed by other ex-prime ministers Gordon Brown, Theresa May and David Cameron, and their spouses.
Carefully timed: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrived in a separate car a short time after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, avoiding any potentially tense interaction between the foursome
Return to royal life: The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were greeted at the Great West Door by the Dean of St Paul’s this morning
The couple were pictured smiling broadly at well-wishers as they arrived for the second day of Jubilee events
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex pictured walking into St Paul’s Cathedral in London for the service of thanksgiving this morning
Members of the public gather outside St Paul’s Cathedral in London this morning ahead of the service of thanksgiving
Wellwishers wait for the arrival of the Royal Family ahead of the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral this morning
Ex-prime minister David Cameron and his wife Samantha arrive for the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral today
Former prime ministers Tony Blair and Gordon Brown arrive for the Service of Thanksgiving held at St Paul’s Cathedral today
Soon after, Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon arrived with her husband, and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer.
Members of the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force lined up on either side of the Great West Door.
The 96-year-old Queen missed today’s service at St Paul’s following a last-minute decision announced by the Palace at 7.30pm last night after she experienced ‘discomfort’ during the Trooping The Colour events.
She is understood to have suffered episodic mobility issues yesterday – and, in a statement, the Palace revealed the Queen ‘greatly enjoyed’ her birthday parade and flypast but ‘did experience some discomfort’.
It said: ‘Taking into account the journey and activity required to participate in tomorrow’s National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral, Her Majesty, with great reluctance, has concluded that she will not attend.’
It is understood the decision ahead of the service was considered regrettable but sensible due to the length of the journey and time involved and the physical demands the service would require.
The Queen met her great-granddaughter Lilibet for the first time yesterday after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle had lunch with the monarch and senior royals behind closed doors as part of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex introduced their little girl to the Queen – nicknamed Lilibet as a child – yesterday at Windsor after attending a private Royal Family lunch at Buckingham Palace following Trooping the Colour.
Harry and Meghan are expected to remain mostly low-profile over the four-day Jubilee weekend, with no sign of the Netflix cameras that followed them around at the Invictus Games in the Netherlands in April. But they will attend today’s Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral – their first joint royal engagement in two years.
The Sussexes, who are staying at Frogmore Cottage in Windsor while visiting from California, were not allowed on the Buckingham Palace balcony yesterday and instead watched proceedings from Horse Guards Parade.
The order of service for today’s Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral in London which begins at 11.30am today
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